Pendant for carrying remembrances such as cremation remains

ABSTRACT

A pendant for hermetically sealing the crematory remains, hair samples or the like of a loved one or pet, utilizing threaded fasteners and a sealing member to fasten and seal first and second housing elements together, preserving the contents there within.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to preserving crematory remains, a hair sample or the like. Specifically this invention relates to hermetically preserving the organic remains in a decorative jewelry-pendant for attachment to a neck chain, maintaining the remains in close proximity to the holder thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cremation of the remains of humans and animals, such as pets, has now become a common alternative for preservation and burial of the deceased. The ashes of the cremated decedent are sometimes distributed in accordance with the wishes of the decedent, but can also be deposited in urns for storage and memorialization purposes. The urns may be retained by the family in a home or other location, or held in permanent storage in a mausoleum.

One example of a storage container for human remains is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,603 to Schorman. The '603 patent describes a storage container for human ashes that includes a bottom portion, a plurality of walls, a rim portion, a cover which fits into a recessed portion of the rim portion, a retainer portion which retains the cover within the recessed portion, and fastener means to fasten the retainer portion to the cover. The cover can include indicia or other decoration. One disadvantage of the container of the '603 patent is that the boxy structure of the container is designed for assemblage with other containers and suitable only for use in a mausoleum type setting and would not be desirable for a stand alone display. Furthermore, the container is placed on a shelf or other suitable storage location wherein it is visited on occasion by those who so desire, and cannot easily be transported or carried around by one who may wish to retain the remains near their person.

In the alternative, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,116 to Sparacino et al. discloses remembrance preserving jewelry and method for its use, comprising a chamber for sealing a sample there within. The invention utilizes interconnecting front and rear housing members, wherein the ashes are placed there between and sealed by means of either silicone sealant, or a threaded connection. Other crematory pendants historically, have been sealed by means of a stopper, or jewelers epoxy, and although sufficient sealing may be achieved through these means, it is possible that the threaded cover, alone, may not create an adequate seal, or that the silicone seal may deteriorate, exposing the organic remains to the outside.

Furthermore, if a silicone sealant or epoxy is utilized, during assemblage, it may come in contact with the contents intended to be contained therein, which is undesirable. It is therefore beneficial to create a jewelry pendant containing the crematory ashes or other organic remembrances of a loved one utilizing other sealing means of maintaining the contents therein, eliminating the possibility of inadvertent exposure of the organic remains to the outside, while preserving the integrity of the contents during assemblage of the pendant. The present invention is directed to meeting these needs, among others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to create a hermetically sealed jewelry pendant, including a first housing element, a second housing element, and a sealing member, for containing the ashes or other organic remembrances of a loved one or pet there within.

It is a further object of the present invention is to create a jewelry pendant which comprises a variety of aesthetical shapes, including but not limited to hearts, crosses, or teardrop shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealed container which will not damage the contents stored within during assembly, while still providing a secure concealment.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hermetically sealed jewelry pendant, which can be readily disassembled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sealing means for manufacturing the hermetically-sealed jewelry pendant, utilizing a rubber gasket and one or more fasteners, for precisely sealing the two housing members together.

A final object of the present invention is to provide a hermetically sealed pendant for containing the ashes or other organic remembrances of a loved one or pet therein, whereby the sealing member is concealed by the first and second housing elements.

These and other objects are accomplished in the present invention by providing a capsule comprising front and rear housing elements, having continuous adjoining edges, that are sealed with a rubber sealing member and fastened together once the desired organic sample is contained there between.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a first embodiment of the pendant;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the pendant wherein the first and second housing elements are adjoined, prior to fastening;

FIG. 3 shows an exploded, cross sectional side view of the pendant, wherein the first and second housing elements are confrontingly aligned, prior to adjoining;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the pendant comprising an alternative second housing element wherein the first and second housing elements are adjoined;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the pendant comprising a further alternative second housing element and an alternative first housing element, wherein the first and second housing element are adjoined; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment of the pendant.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a first housing element of the second embodiment of the pendant

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

As best can be observed in FIG. 1, an exemplary pendant 10 is shown. The pendant 10 includes a bail 40 for hanging by a neck chain or the like. The pendant 10 here shown having an oval shape, although a plurality of shapes may be embodied by this invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pendant 10 includes a first housing element 12, a second housing element 14, and a sealing member 15. The first housing element 12 can be fixedly attached to the second housing element 14 by a plurality of fasteners 17, to form a hollow, sealed chamber 16 there between, giving the pendant a three-dimensional shape and providing room for the placement of crematory ashes, a lock of hair, or any other personal remembrance so desired. As mentioned, the pendant 10 can be designed to embody any one of a plurality of different shapes, including but not limited to round, oval, rectangular, square, teardrop, triangular, or cross-shaped.

The first and second housing elements 12, 14 can each be formed from any of a number of thin precious or common metals commonly used to create decorative jewelry, such as karat gold or silver, and may be used in combination if so desired. It should also be appreciated that the sealing member 15 may be composed of any number of materials, including but not limited to various types of rubbers and various types of plastics.

As can best be observed in FIG. 3, the first housing element 12 may include a first inner space 20 for placement of the personal remembrance. The first inner space 20 may be defined by a first inner surface 22 surrounded by a first inner wall 24, a resting surface 26, and a second inner wall 28. First inner surface 22 may be substantially concave with respect to first inner space 20, so as to increase the size of first inner space 20. A chamfered edge 30 may extend from the first inner wall 24 to the resting surface 26 to assist in creating a seal between the first housing element 12 and the second housing element 14. The first housing element 12 may contain one or more threaded bores 32 to assist in fastening the first housing element 12 to the second housing element 14. The threaded bores 32 may extend from the resting surface 26 to a bottom surface 34 of the first housing element 12.

The second housing element 14 is defined by a second inner surface 36, an outer surface 38, and an outer wall 42. The second housing element 14 may contain a plurality of threaded apertures 54 extending from the outer surface 38 to the second inner surface 36. The size and placement of the threaded apertures 54 in the second housing element 14 may correspond with the size and placement of the threaded bores 32 in the first housing element 12 to further assist fastening the first housing element 12 to the second housing element 14. The outer surface 38 of the second housing element 14 may also have a plurality of countersinks 56 that are generally concentric to, and of a larger diameter than, the plurality of apertures 54, in order to allow a head surface 19 of fasteners 17 to rest flush with, or counter to, the outer surface 38 of the second housing element 14.

The second housing element 14 may further include a continuous shoulder 44, defined by a first shoulder wall 46 and a second shoulder wall 48, protruding from, and integrally formed with, the second inner surface 36. The shoulder 44 and the second inner surface 36 may help secure the sealing member 15 to the second housing element 14. In order to improve the sealing properties of pendant 10, continuous shoulder 44 may be formed on second inner surface 36 such that sealing member 15 is located between the plurality of threaded apertures 54.

As shown by an alternative second housing element 60 in FIG. 4, shoulder 44 may include a lip portion 62. The lip portion 62 may be integrally formed with, and extend from, the first shoulder wall 46 and further help secure sealing member 15 to the second housing element 14.

An alternative pendant 70 is shown in FIG. 5. Pendant 70 includes a first housing element 72, a second housing element 74, and a sealing member 75. A chamfered or curved edge 76 may extend from a first inner wall 78 to a resting surface 80 of first housing element 72 to assist in creating a seal between the first housing element 72 and the second housing element 74. An inner surface 82 of second housing element 74 may include a groove 84. As depicted in FIG. 5, the width of groove 84 at inner surface 82 may be substantially smaller than the width of groove 84 at a location between the inner surface 82 and an outer surface 86 of second housing element 74. Sealing member 75 may be located substantially within groove 84, such that a portion of sealing member 75 is positioned on both sides of inner surface 82. The width of groove 84 at inner surface 82 may be smaller than the largest cross-section of sealing member 75, such that a surface edge 88 of groove 84 secures sealing member 75 within groove 84. An outer edge 90 of first housing element 72 may extend beyond resting surface 80, such that an inner wall 92 of first housing element 72 substantially surrounds an outer wall 94 of second housing element 74.

Another alternative pendant 100 is shown in FIG. 6. The pendant 100 here shown is substantially cross-shaped. A cross-shaped first housing element 102 of pendant 100 is shown in FIG. 7. Cross-shaped first housing element 102 includes a substantially cross-shaped cavity 104. Cross-shaped cavity 104 will create a larger space for placement of a personal remembrance. As shown in FIG. 7, cross-shaped first housing element 102 and cross-shaped cavity 104 may include substantially curved corners 106 and 108, respectively. An upper edge of cross-shaped cavity 104 creates a sealing member resting surface 110. The cross-shaped first housing element 102 may contain one or more threaded bores 112, located external to cross-shaped cavity 104, to assist in fastening the first housing element to a second housing element (not shown). Pendant 100 may be formed in substantially the same manner described above with respect to pendant 10.

As can best be observed in FIG. 2, pendant 10 may be formed by aligning the second housing element 14 with the first housing element 12 such that the outer wall 42 of the second housing element 14 rests substantially against the second inner wall 28 of the first housing element 12. Upon assembling the first housing element 12 with the second housing element 14, the second inner surface 36 of the second housing element 14 may rest substantially against the resting surface 26 of the first housing element 12. The threaded apertures 54 of the second housing element 14 should be substantially aligned with the threaded bores 32 of the first housing element 12. The sealing member 15 may rest substantially against the chamfered edge 30 of the first housing element 12, thereby sealing chamber 16. The first housing element 12 may be secured to the second housing element 14 by threading one or more of fasteners 17 through the threaded apertures 54 and the threaded bores 32.

To reemphasize its versatility, the invention can apply to a plurality of various pendant designs, utilizing a plurality of metals, with the same results. The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A neck chain supported pendant for carrying organic material, cremation remains, or hair samples, said pendant comprising: a first housing element, having a plurality of threaded bores disposed in a surface thereof; a second housing element disposed in an aligned confronting relationship with said first housing element defining an organic material chamber there between, wherein said second housing element includes a plurality of threaded apertures; and a sealing member disposed between said first housing element and said second housing element for sealing said organic material chamber, whereby said sealing member is engaged with said first housing element and said second housing element.
 2. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first housing element and said second housing element is fabricated solely of a thin precious metal.
 3. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 2 wherein said thin precious metal is chosen from the group of karat golds, sterling silver, titanium, palladium, and platinum.
 4. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 1 wherein a continuous shoulder portion extends from a first surface of said second housing element, and whereby said sealing member is engaged with said continuous shoulder portion.
 5. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 4 wherein a continuous lip portion extends from said continuous shoulder portion, and wherein said sealing member is further disposed between said lip portion and said second housing element.
 6. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 4 wherein said sealing member is further disposed between said plurality of threaded apertures.
 7. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 1 wherein said second housing element includes a continuous groove formed therein, and wherein said sealing member is further securedly disposed within said groove.
 8. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 1 wherein said first housing element and said second housing element have a shape selected from the group consisting of round, oval, teardrop, rectangle, square, triangle, heart, and cross shaped.
 9. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 1 wherein said organic material chamber has a shape selected from the group consisting of round, oval, rectangle, square, triangle, heart, and cross shaped.
 10. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 1 wherein said neck chain is slidably attached to said pendant through a loop fixedly attached to said first housing element.
 11. The neck chain supported pendant of claim 1 wherein an inner wall of said first housing element substantially surrounds an outer wall of said second housing element.
 12. A method of producing a neck chain supported pendant for carrying organic material, cremation remains, hair samples, and the like, the steps which include: fabricating a first thin metallic housing element having a plurality of threaded bores disposed in a surface thereof; fabricating a second thin metallic housing element having a plurality of threaded apertures; disposing said second housing element in an aligned confronting relationship with said first housing element so as to define an organic material chamber there between; placing a sealing member between said first housing element and said second housing element, and further between said plurality of threaded apertures for sealing said organic material chamber; inserting an organic material into said chamber; and threading a plurality of threaded fasteners through said threaded apertures and into said threaded bores. 